What options do I have to get any supporting documentation for a NATO (ISAF) award from a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011?

2022-01-19T15:37:55-05:00

In 2011 I was an E-3 combat medic that deployed to Afghanistan with 1st SBCT, 25th ID. I was emergency air-evacuated from theater after being injured in an IED blast. I was later given the documentation for my Combat Medic Badge, Purple Heart and ARCOM. My leadership also told me that I was authorized the NATO medal so I added it to my ribbon rack, but I never got any documentation for it.

It has recently come up that if I don't have the supporting document for this award that I might need to stop wearing it. Do I have any potential avenues to getting this documentation?

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jan 19 at 2022 4:09 PM

2022-01-19T16:09:25-05:00

At first look it appears you have to request the document from SHAPE within 2 years of leaving the AOR.
This is from the HRC web site dated Sept 2021. https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/NATO%20Medal

Send your supporting documents in to the e-mail site below. Worse they can do is send you a declination memo.

NATO Medal Requests may be sent directly to USNMR at SHAPE Belgium, email: [login to see]

1. Acceptance: Acceptance of the NATO Medal has been approved for U.S. military personnel who serve under NATO command or operational control in direct support of the above NATO operations.

2. Presentation: The NATO Medal will normally be presented by the Allied Command Europe headquarters exercising operational command or control over U.S. military units or individuals prior to their departure from service with NATO.

3. Medal set: The medal set includes a ribbon clasp denoting the specific operation for which the award was made. U.S. service members are authorized to retain the ribbon clasp presented but may not wear the clasp. Only the basic NATO medal and service ribbon are authorized for wear on the uniform.

***The basic NATO medal is defined as the first NATO medal awarded by the Secretary General to a Soldier for meeting eligibility criteria for a specific operation listed in the table above with unique suspension and service ribbon. A bronze service star will denote subsequent awards of the NATO medal for service in a different NATO operation. Only one NATO ribbon is authorized for wear.

4. Subsequent awards: Subsequent awards (if approved by the Secretary of Defense) for service in a different NATO operation, U.S. military personnel will affix a bronze service star to the NATO Medal suspension ribbon and service ribbon.

5. Precedence: The NATO Medal will have the same precedence as the United Nations Medal, but will rank immediately below the United Nations Medal when the wearer has been awarded both medals.

**Effective 1 January 2011, NATO approved a revised policy stating that ALL NATO Medal requests must be submitted within two years of leaving the operational area. This is a NATO change in policy, not the Army.

6. The following NATO Medals for previous operations that ended over two years ago will no longer be processed or issued:

a. Former Republic of Yugoslavia

b. Kosovo

c. Eagle Assist

d. National Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I)

e. National Training Implementation Mission - Iraq (NTIM-I)

7. The following NATO operations will continue to award the NATO medal to those personnel that apply within the two years of departing the operational area:

a. International Security Assistance Force

b. Balkans

c. Active Endeavor

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